Manchester United will start next season in Premier League title box seat – Iain Dowie

GENTLE START: New Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal will begin the season against Swansea City on August 16 at Old Trafford [GETTY]

The fixtures for the 2014/15 campaign were released yesterday with United and new manager Louis Van Gaal handed a gentle start, avoiding matches against any of last season’s top four in their opening eight fixtures.

In fact, the Dutchman could not have possibly wished for a better start.

With matches against newly-promoted trio Leicester City, Burnley and QPR as well as clashes with last season’s strugglers Sunderland, Swansea City, West Brom and West Ham included in their opening set, United have certainly been given a great opportunity to hit the ground running.

And former Premier League forward Dowie feels, if Van Gaal can secure his top transfer targets this summer, United could fly out of the traps.

“If United recruit properly they could be sitting top of league without a doubt,” said Dowie.

“It is certainly the best start any manager could have wished for, especially if it is a new manager taking charge.

“It is possible that he could win all of his opening matches or not be beaten in any of them. Manchester United are definitely in the box seat with the start they have been handed.”

Their start is in complete contrast to that given to former manager David Moyes last year.

In a season, which would ultimately end in an unprecedented seventh-place finish, Moyes was handed matches against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in his opening six.

Those matches yielded only one point for United and though Van Gaal has not be given any where near as tougher start as Moyes, Dowie feels the current Netherlands coach must take advantage of his good fortune.

DOUBLE DUTCH: Robin van Persie will link up with the Netherlands coach at United [GETTY]

“No one at Manchester United can be concerned about that draw”

Iain Dowie

“You always have to look at the first six fixtures of a new season. And if you look at Van Gaal’s first six matches in comparison to David Moyes’, it is completely different,” he added.

“But if Van Gaal did not start well in those games, imagine the pressure which would be on him then.

“There is something to be said for taking each game as it comes, which I think Van Gaal will do, but he has had a very good rub of the green.